Rwanda has started using Paxlovid pills to treat COVID-19 after initiating implementation of the accord signed in May 2022.
Paxlovid is an oral antiviral pill that patients tested positive for coronavirus can take at home and lower their risk of going to the hospital.
The Accord countries include all 27 low-income countries as well as 18 lower-middle-income countries that have transitioned from low to lower-middle-income classification in the last ten years.
Initially, Rwanda, Ghana, Malawi, Senegal and Uganda were the first five African countries which committed to join the Accord. Health officials in these countries will help identify and resolve hurdles beyond supply to inform the roll out in all 45 lower-income countries.
As of today, Rwanda has become the first country to benefit from this initiative where two-day training to health workers from different hospitals is taking place in Kigali City with a view to exchange information and share knowledge.
The Minister of Health, Dr. Daniel Ngamije has said that the training provided by experts from Pfizer is one of major steps for implementation of the accord helping Rwanda to access medicines on a not- for-profit basis.
“This training is aimed at helping our doctors from hospitals at national, provincial and district level to be equipped with knowledge and updated on prescriptions for proper use of medicaments,” he said.
Dr. Ngamije revealed that the accord also paves the way for other activities including research development, and up-skilling health care professionals.
Apart from the training, Rwanda has already received the first medicines including pills used to treat COVID-19.
“Rwanda has started receiving the first batch of medicaments. For instance, Paxlovid is being used to treat patients diagnosed with symptoms of COVID-19,” he said.
Paxlovid pill was manufactured by Pfizer. Towards the end of 2021, it was approved by the US as effective for treatment of COVID-19.
As the accord was signed this year, it was revealed that Pfizer will collaborate with participants to identify quick and efficient regulatory pathways and procurement processes to reduce the longer amount of time it can take to make new medicines and vaccines available in these countries.
Under the accord, Pfizer has committed to provide 23 medicines and vaccines that treat infectious diseases, certain cancers, and rare and inflammatory diseases.
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